Lock and improved guard therefor



y 1969 HQGREENWALD v LOCK AND IMPROVED GUARD THEREFOR Filed March 5',1967 FIG.1

INVENTOR. Harry Greenwald ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,444,712 LOCKAND IMPROVED GUARD THEREFOR Harry Greenwald, Whitestone, N.Y., assignorof one-third eat? to Louis Walf, and Harry Silberglait, Brooklyn,

Filed Mar. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 620,333 Int. Cl. E05]: 17/16 US. Cl. 704231 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to a lockand guard therefor in which the front of the guard is spaced from theface of the lock. The front of the guard has formed therein a key-shapedopening for receiving the key to operate the lock. The shape of theopening is such as to permit only an authorized or properly shaped keyto be fitted to the keyway of the lock.

This invention relates in general to a lock and a protective guardtherefor to deter unauthorized tampering with the lock, and morespecifically to a lock device and complementary protective guardtherefor constructed and arranged so as to permit only an authorized andcomplementary key to be fitted to the keyway of the lock and guardprotecting the lock.

The lock and protective guard therefor in accordance with this inventionare particularly adapted for securing, for example, the coin boxes of ac in-operated machine and the like. Generally the coin boxes of suchcoinoperated machines are secured by a tumbler-type lock, the faceportion of which is generally disposed so as to be readily accessiblefrom an exterior portion of the machine. The coin boxes of such machinesare usually received in an opening formed in the casing of the machineand in position to receive the coins deposited into the coin slot of themachine.

Because such coin-vending or coin-operated machines are frequently leftunattended, the coin boxes of such machines constitute a continuingtarget for would-be thieves and vandals. It has thus been the experienceof the operators of such coin-operated machines that many unscrupulouspeople constantly attempt to pick and/or tamper with the lock in aneffort to obtain unauthorized access to the coins deposited in the boxsecured thereby, and that the loss and/or damages resulting from suchacts constitute a serious and continuing problem to such operators. Evenif the attempted theft fails, the face of the exposed lock is generallydamaged beyond repair and/ or the lock is rendered totally inoperative.In such an event the lock must be removed and replaced, therebyincreasing substantially the cost of maintenance and/or repair.

In picking tumbler locks of the type utilized in such coin-operatedmachines, the thieves and/ or would-be vandals have also developed atechnique of picking the locks with a specially designed pick or toolwhich requires for its successful operation that it be axially alignedwith the keyway of the lock. Another means which has been employed byunauthorized personnel in gaining illegal access to the coin box hasbeen 'by drilling through the face of the lock. To effectively drillthrough the lock, it is also essential that the drill bit be axiallyaligned with the face of the lock. If for some reason the act of gainingaccess to the coin box is incomplete or interrupted for some reason, thedrilling of the face of the lock nevertheless invariably damages thelock beyond repair.

It is therefore an object of this inventi n to provide a guardspecifically constructed to protect the face of a lock 3,444,712Patented May 20, 1969 ice which will obstruct axial alignment of a lockpick or drill bit with the key-Way of the lock.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lock and aprotective device or guard therefor in the form of a bent U-shapedmember which can be attached or fixed in position across the face of thelock so as to prohibit axial alignment of any key and/or lock pick orother tool not specifically designed to complement or operate the lockso protected.

It is another object to provide a guard which can be secured to thepanel in which the lock is disposed, and which is specificallyconstructed and arranged so as to be utilized in conjunction with a keymeans that is specifically constructed to complement the structure ofthe guard, and in which alignment of the key with the keyway in the faceof the lock can be attained only with an authorized key.

Another object of this invention is to provide a l ck having an improvedguard means arranged to protect the face of the lock and which guard andkey are provided with complementary shapes so as to effect the alignmentof only the proper key with the keyway of the lock.

Another object of this invention is to provide a protective device forprotecting the face of the lock that is relatively simple inconstruction, can be readily fabricated, and which is positive inoperati n.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a protective lockdevice which can be readily fitted to existing locks.

The foregoing objects and other features and advantages of thisinvention are readily attained by a protective device which can bereadily applied to the tumbler locks of the type constructed forsecuring a coin box in the cabinet or frame of a coin-operated machine.Essentially the structure of a tumbler lock utilized for securing suchcoin boxes comprises a tubular housing which terminates in a face platehaving formed therein a keyway for receiving the key by which the lockcan be operated. Generally, the faces of such locks are disposed in apanel por tion or front wall portion of the coin box which the lock isadapted to secure.

In accordance with this invention a unique protective device in the formof a guard is secured to the panel in which the lock is disposed. Theguard is constructed to circumscribe and protect the face portion of thelock. Essentially the guard comprises a U-shaped member having a frontportion and integrally formed opposed end or side portions for spacingthe front portion of the guard from the face of the lock. The end edgesof the end or side portions are specifically contoured to complement thecontour or panel in which the lock is located. To further secure theguard into position, the end or side portions are provided withlaterally bent flanges arranged to abut against the panel on either sideof the lock. Cover pieces are disposed between the opposed end or sideportions to provide a top and bottom for the guard to complete theprotection of the lock. The front portion of the guard is provided witha key-shaped opening in which the enlarged portion of the opening iseccentrically disposed with respect to the keyway of the lock, and thereduced portion is formed with an end configuration shaped to complementthe shank of an authorized key means constructed to operate the lock.The arrangement is such that the peripheral or circumferential end ofthe reduced portion of the opening complements the shank portion of thekey inserted into the opening of the guard so that it can then be placedinto alignment with respect to the keyway of the lock.

Locks of the type generally securing the coin boxes of suchcoin-operated machines have a circular keyway adapted to receive thehead end of a circular key, the latter being provided withlongitudinally extending grooves circumferentially spaced about theouter periphcry of the circular end of the key for effecting the settingor positioning of the lock tumblers, such as described in Serial No.469,601 filed July 6, 1965 and now US. Patent 3,339,384. Accordingly,the arrangement of the guard device with respect to the face of the lockis such that a key in initially passing through the opening formed inthe front of the guard must necessarily be first eccentricallypositioned relative to the keyway of the lock, and subsequently loweredto accommodate the shank portion of the key to the reduced portion ofthe opening for effecting proper alignment of the key with the keyway inthe lock. Accordingly, unless the shank portion of the key is properlyshaped to complement the shape of the reduced end portion of the openingformed in the guard device, proper alignment of the key with the keywayof the lock is not rendered possible.

A feature of this invention therefore resides in the provision of arelatively simply constructed guard device which can be readily attachedto a panel in which a tumbler lock is disposed so as to protect the lockagainst unauthorized access and/ or tampering.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved protectivedevice or guard for a lock which has a key-receiving opening formed inthe front portion thereof, which is particularly shaped so as to allowonly a proper or authorized key to align with the keyway of the lock.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent whenconsidered in view of the drawings and specification in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of the protective device ofthe instant invention as applied to a tumbler lock adapted to secure acoin box of a coin vending machine.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the assembly of FIG. 1, having portions thereofbroken away.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the guard device of FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a key adapted to complement the guard device ofFIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 6 is a left end view of the key of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a tumbler type lock10 of the type generally utilized in securing the coin box 11 of acoin-operated machine or vending machine, which is not illustrated.Essentially the coin box 11 comprises a drawer which can be readilyinserted through an opening formed in the wall portion or cabinet of acoin-operated machine. Generally the front panel 11A of the coin box 11is adapted to fit against the wall portion of a machine so as to form apart thereof. Disposed in the panel or front wall 11A of the coin box 11is the tumbler lock 12 for latching and unlatching the coin box 11 tothe frame or cabinet of the coin-operated machine. Such locks maycomprise a tumbler lock of the type disclosed in a co-pending Serial No.469,601 filed July 6, 1965 and now US. Patent 3,339,384.

A protective device or guard 12 is provided to protect the lock 10against damage by would-be vandals and/or thieves, and also to deterunauthorized access to the coin box 11 and/or otherwise prevent thedefacing of the lock 10 by those who attempt to gain unauthorized accessto the coins deposited therein.

As shown, the protective guard 12 of the present invention comprises aU-shaped member 13 formed of a suitable blank of flat material such assteel, hardened steel and the like, having a front portion 14 and a pairof integrally connected end or side portions 15. The ends or sides 15each have their respective free edges 15A contoured to complement thecontour of the panel 11A in which the lock 10 is disposed. As best seenin FIGS. 1 through 4, the respective end portions 15 are each pro- 4vided with an outwardly and laterally bent flange 16 which in theoperative position is adapted to abut against the panel 11A in which thelock is disposed. Accordingly, suitable fastening means, as for example,spot-welding, screws, rivets and the like, secure the flange portions 16of the guard 12 to the panel 11A.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 through 3 the guard 12 is fitted to the panel11A in which the lock is disposed so that the laterally turned flanges16 are disposed on either side of the lock, and the free edges 15A ofthe opposed end portions 15 are contoured to abut against the panel 11A.Top and bottom cross pieces 17 and 18 are disposed in spacedrelationship between the opposed end portions 15 of the guard. As shown,the top and bottom pieces 17 and 18 each comprise a U-shaped member inwhich the opposed turned end portions 17A and 18A thereof are suitablysecured to the inside portions of the respective end portions 15 of theguard, as by welding and/or by other suitably fastening means. When theguard 12 is applied to the panel 11A in which the lock is disposed, itwill be noted that the configuration of the guard device 12 is such thatthe face portion 10A of the lock 10 is completely enclosed and that thefront portion 14 of the guard is spaced from the face 10A of the lock10.

In accordance with this invention the front portion 14 of the guard isprovided with a uniquely shaped opening 19 for receiving the key 20 bywhich the lock 10 may be operated between its latched and unlatchedpositions. As shown, the opening 19 is defined as a key-shaped openingin which the enlarged portion 19A thereof which permits the initialinsertion of the key 20 through the front portion 14 of the guard, iseccentrically disposed with respect to the keyway 21 of the lock as bestseen in FIG. 1. The reduced portion 19B of the key-shaped opening 19, incommunication with the enlarged portion 19A thereof, is arranged so asto be in axial alignment with the keyway 21 and its functions to effectthe alignment of a proper key 20 to the keyway 21 of the lock.

Consequently, upon initial insertion of any key or tool through theopening 19 formed in the front portion 14 of the guard, the key or toolis eccentrically disposed with respect to the keyway of the lock.Accordingly, alignment of the key with respect to the keyway of the lockcan only be rendered possible if the shank portion of the key isspecifically constructed and/or shaped so as to complement the shape andsize of reduced portion 19B of opening 19, which portion allowsalignment of the proper key with the keyway 21 of the lock. Therefore,it is to be noted that the axis of the aligning portion 193 of theopening 19 formed in the front portion 14 of the guard is concentricallydisposed with respect to the axis of the keyway 21. It will thus benoted that the shank portion of the key must be specifically shaped tocomplement the shape and size of the aligning portion or reduced portion19B of the key-shaped opening 19 formed in the front 14 of theprotective guard.

While the end portion of the reduced portion 19B of the opening 19 isillustrated as being an arcuate portion of a circle, it will be readilyunderstood that the end portion of the opening 19 may assume anygeometric shape or contour. Accordingly, the shank portion 20A of a key,which is specifically adapted to mate with the keyway 21 of the lock,must likewise be formed with a complementary geometric shape so thatthere is a proper mating of the key shank 20A to the outline or contourof the key opening 19, formed in the front 14 of the protective deviceso as to effect the necessary alignment of the key 20 with the keyway21.

From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that unlessthe key 20 is specifically shaped to complement the key opening 19formed in the face portion of the protective device, alignment of thekey 20 with respect to the keyway 21 of the lock is rendered impossible.Therefore, would-be vandals and/or burglars utilizing a known type ofpicking device and/or other means for burglarizing such locks, cannotsuccessfully operate on the locks protected with a guard device, for thereason that such tools are not likely to be provided with the necessarycomplementary shapes to effect proper alignment thereof with the keyway21 of the lock. For this reason, such lock picks and/ or would-beburglarizing tools are rendered useless on locks protected as hereindescribed, and thereby any unauthorized tampering with such locks isgreatly detered.

It will be noted that the specific proportions of the opening 19 formedin the front 14 of the guard 12 can be varied so that numerousvariations and combinations of different sizes and shapes are renderedpossible to further deter any standardization of lock picks and/or otherburglarizing devices. Also, it is to be noted that the variouscombinations afforded by the lock and guard 12 therefor herein describedfurther allow for an even greater number of possible lock combinations,as the original number of combinations previously possible by thevarious possible tumbler settings can now be increased by the number ofcombinations possible by the various complementary shapes affordedbetween the shape of the opening 19 and the complementary shape of thekey shank.

While the instant invention has been described and illustrated withrespect to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be readilyappreciated and understood that variations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a security lock having a face portion disposed substantially in theplane of a panel,

said lock having a circular keyway formed in the face portion thereof,

means defining a guard for circumscribing the face of said lock, and

a key means adapted to be received in the keyway of said lock,

said key means having a cylindrically shaped head adapted to fit in saidkeyway, a shank connected to said head end and turnhandle connected tothe other end of said shank,

said guard comprising an integrally formed U-shaped plate member havinga front portion and a pair of connected end portions,

each of said end portions having contoured edges adapted to complementthe shape of said panel for spacing said front portion from the faceportion of said lock,

said end portions include the laterally bent flanges adapted to abutagainst the surface of said panel,

said front portion having a key-shaped opening formed therein, saidopening having an enlarged end portion and a reduced end portion,

said enlarged end portion being eccentrically disposed with respect tothe keyway of said lock and said reduced end portion being disposedconcentrically relative to the keyway of the lock,

said enlarged portion of said opening being adapted to receive the headof said key eccentrically of said keyway,

and the shank of said key being adapted to be received into reducedportion of said opening,

said shaft and the reduced end portion of said opening havingcomplementary shapes so that when a proper key is disposed in saidopening, the head of the key is disposed in axial alignment with thekeyway of the lock,

and cross pieces extending between the opposed end portions to form atop and bottom portion for said guard,

each of said cross pieces including a U-shaped member having the opposedends of which are secured between the end portions of said guard andsaid top and bottom portions extending between the front portion of saidguard and said panel in substantially parallel planes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,758 10/ 1911 Ebbert -4271,110,963 9/ 1914 Robinson 70-454 3,343,386 9/1967 Hall 70-423 MARVIN A.CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 70-454- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 3 444 712 Dated 5 May 20, 1969 Inventofls) HarryGreenwald It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, in the title change the name of the assignee,

llouis Walf," to read -Louis Wolff-- I SIGNED AND S EALED MAY 261970(SEAL) WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, JR. Comissione-r of Patents

